Take a moment to look around your current environment. Have you ever noticed just how many materials went into the makeup of your immediate surroundings?

Materials are everywhere and in everything we come into contact with. As such, they have a massive impact on us and the planet. And there’s a level of complexity in understanding that impact that drew architect Simona Fischer to study them. 

Today, Simona is the director of sustainable practice at MSR Design based in Minneapolis. And with the knowledge she’s gained over the past 10+ years, she helps educate other designers on how to specify healthier materials and consider reuse as often as possible.

In this episode, Simona shares how designers can unearth the health and carbon impact of a material, what tools to use, how to work creatively with salvaged materials, and some of the natural materials she's most excited about currently.